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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614941">On the Threshold of Eternity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailendolin/pseuds/Ailendolin'>Ailendolin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Andy needs a hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Andy, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, M/M, Mortal Andy | Andromache of Scythia, Mortality, Nicky | Nicolò di Genova Needs a Hug, Nile Freeman Needs a Hug, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, References to Illness, Worried Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:08:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,728</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailendolin/pseuds/Ailendolin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <i>“So, what has you awake this early in the morning?”</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>Nicky gazes into his cup as if it holds the answer to her question. “I have a lot on my mind as well,” he admits.</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>“Because of Booker?” Nile asks hesitantly, not sure if it’s okay to bring him up.</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>“That too,” Nicky confirms. He sighs and shakes his head. “But it is not just his actions that are troubling me.”</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>Nile takes a guess. “Andy?” </i>
  </p>
</blockquote><b>Andy’s mortality changes everything for the team.</b><p>
  <b>Or: Five times Nile sees Nicky taking care of Andy after she becomes mortal, and one time she sees Andy returning the favor. </b>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andy | Andromache of Scythia &amp; Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Nile Freeman &amp; Nicky | Nicolo di Genoa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>322</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Worry</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><b>Warnings:</b> swearing</p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own The Old Guard or any characters mentioned in the story. The title of the story comes from the song "On the Threshold of Eternity" from the musical Starry.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>On the Threshold of Eternity</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: Worry</strong>
</p><p>The first time Nile realizes how much Nicky cares is on the morning after Merrick’s lab. It’s early – barely 0600 – when she wakes up. The nightmares she expected to plague her that night failed to make an appearance, thank god, but the events of yesterday still leave her exhausted despite the seven hours of sleep she got. On top of that, she feels weirdly jittery and restless. Her mind is still running a mile a minute, constantly buzzing with everything that has happened in the last few days – the dying, the fighting, the <em>living</em> – and the pro and cons of the awful decision she will have to make soon.</p><p>It’s a lot to work through.</p><p><em>No</em>, she thinks as she pulls the blanket over her head and closes her eyes, desperate to fall back asleep. <em>It’s too much. </em></p><p>Her thoughts keep racing through her mind, sometimes so fast they stumble over each other, and no matter what she does, she can’t get her brain to shut up. Turning from one side to another doesn’t help. Trying to focus on the birdsong filtering in through the cracked window to distract herself doesn’t work either. She even tries counting sheep but the cacophony in her head is so loud that it drowns out everything else.</p><p>In the end, she admits defeat.</p><p>Pushing the blanket away from her tired body with an annoyed huff, Nile swings her legs over the edge of the bed. Her left hand is automatically reaching for her phone even as she rubs the last remnants of sleep from her eyes with the other. She glances at the time and her yawn turns into a groan.</p><p>“Fuck me.”</p><p>While she has always been an early riser, she really wouldn’t have minded getting a few more hours of sleep just this once. After the dumpster fire that was yesterday – Booker’s betrayal, Andy’s mortality, Joe and Nicky’s torture, and not to mention her fall that rid the world of that greedy, slimy bastard Merrick but hurt like hell – she thinks she’s earned a good night’s rest.</p><p>The memory of the impact makes her shudder but Nile pushes the feeling of <em>wrongness</em> away as best as she can and gets out of bed. Her bones still feel weird, almost like they remember the breaks they endured a few hours ago and can’t quite grasp the fact that they’re already whole again, and she aches all over.</p><p><em>Maybe a run will do me some good</em>, she thinks as she rummages through her small, pathetic bag of clothes, willing to try anything to stop this irritating itch she can feel in her bones.</p><p>With her shoes in hand, Nile quietly tiptoes down the stairs so that she doesn’t wake up anyone. Just because she can’t sleep doesn’t mean she begrudges the others their rest.</p><p><em>Except Booker, perhaps</em>, she silently amends. If anyone out of them deserves to be up at the crack of dawn with insomnia, it most certainly is him. Nile still can’t quite fathom the depth of his betrayal, the lengths he was willing to go to to end his life – the <em>sacrifices</em> he was prepared to make. She thinks of Andy’s stomach wound that refused to stop bleeding for the first time in millennia, and of the way Joe and Nicky held hands last night when they trudged up the stairs, their touch so desperate that their knuckles had turned white from the force behind it.</p><p>The sight still haunts her even now, hours later. Nile doesn’t know what exactly had been done to them in that horrible lab. Neither of them has offered any explanation so far. In fact, they haven’t talked much at all since their escape she now realizes, neither during the drive out of the city nor later, after they finally reached the safe house in the countryside. But Nile saw the way Joe’s hand had gently cupped the back of Nicky’s head every now and then, saw how Nicky’s eyes and fingers repeatedly drifted over a particular spot on Joe’s shoulder, drawn to it like a moth to a flame. And she saw the way the both of them had looked at Booker: Joe with barely held-back fury and disgust and Nicky with silent grief and regret.</p><p>Nile never wanted to see these people hurt so much, especially not after they have welcomed her with open arms into their little family. She barely knows them, hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of who they are, and yet she would already die for them – has proven as much just yesterday. They may not be her family, not yet, but they will become so one day. Somewhere deep in her heart she knows that.</p><p>Booker’s betrayal wouldn’t hurt so much if that weren’t the case.</p><p>Soft light spills out from the cracked kitchen door when she passes it and with her shoes still in her hand, Nile stops in her steps to poke her head around the door. She spots Nicky crouching in front of some cupboards, obviously searching for something. Food, most likely. She pushes the door open and the creaking noises startles him so much he almost bumps his head.</p><p>“Sorry,” Nile waves sheepishly in greeting.</p><p>Nicky’s face softens with a smile as he waves her apology away.  “It’s okay. Good morning, Nile,” he says, using the counter to pull himself to his feet. “What are you doing up? It’s still early.”</p><p>Nile shrugs. “I could ask you the same thing.”</p><p>Almost imperceptibly, Nicky’s smile turns into a smirk. “You could. But I asked first.”</p><p>Nile chuckles. “Touché.”</p><p>When Nicky gestures to one of the empty chairs around the table in invitation she gladly forgoes her morning run for his company – especially when he hands her a cup and asks with a knowing look, “Coffee?”</p><p>“Yes, please,” Nile nearly groans. The embarrassing sound is worth it when Nicky huffs out a soft laugh and fills her cup to the brim. She takes a sip and closes her eyes in pure bliss. It’s <em>perfect</em>. “You’re the best, Nicky,” she sighs.</p><p>Nicky shrugs and wraps his hands around his own cup of coffee. “So, why <em>are</em> you awake?” he asks, giving her a contemplative look. “Nightmares again?”</p><p>“No, not this time, thank god,” Nile says. She relaxes back in her chair. “I just have a lot on my mind, I guess.”</p><p>Nicky nods in understanding. “It is not easy, this life,” he says, holding her gaze. “We all had trouble readjusting to it at first. It is a lot to process but you do not have to do this alone. We are here for you, Nile. Whatever you need from us – someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, a hug or even space – we will gladly give it.”</p><p>Unexpectantly, his kind and honest words make her throat close up. No one apart from her parents has ever accepted and loved her so easily and wholeheartedly before in her life, and yet here Nicky is, making it look like it is the most normal thing in the world to welcome a total stranger into his life and heart with open arms. Nile wonders what she ever did to deserve this – not immortality, but the privilege of this unconditional love Nicky and the others are willing to give so freely.</p><p>How could Booker reject that?</p><p>She clears her throat but her voice still sounds a little choked when she says, “Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Her fingers clutch the warm cup in her hand like a lifeline and, neither ready nor willing to put all her thoughts and worries and fears into words right now, she steers the conversation back towards its original topic. “So, what has you awake this early in the morning?”</p><p>Nicky gazes into his cup as if it holds the answer to her question. “I have a lot on my mind as well,” he admits.</p><p>“Because of Booker?” Nile asks hesitantly, not sure if it’s okay to bring him up.</p><p>“That too,” Nicky confirms. He sighs and shakes his head. “But it is not just his actions that are troubling me.”</p><p>Nile takes a guess. “Andy?”</p><p>“Yes,” Nicky nods and his shoulders fall. “Things are different now and I fear –“ He breaks off with a frown. His face, usually so calm, is suddenly filled with a look of such helplessness that Nile instinctively reaches out to place her hand on his arm. Nicky gives her a small, grateful smile before he continues. “I fear we are woefully unprepared for her mortality and it’s consequences.”</p><p><em>Who wouldn’t be after all this time?</em> Nile can’t help but think. As far as she understands, no one could have predicted this.</p><p>She squeezes Nicky’s arm in comfort. “What exactly do you mean?”</p><p>“We all know that Andy will get hurt,” he says and his normally bright eyes are shadowed with grief. “You saw how she fought yesterday despite her injuries. It’s not a matter of <em>if</em> she will get hurt but <em>when</em>, and when that time comes she will not heal like she did before. She will need our help and I … I don’t even know what type of <em>painkillers</em> people use nowadays.” He rakes a hand through his hair, and his frustration and helplessness are reflected in his eyes when he looks up from the table. “How can we possibly hope to keep her safe if our knowledge of modern medicine is <em>ancient</em>?”</p><p>For a moment, Nile doesn’t know what to say. She knows Nicky has been a medic once – she’s seen the pictures on Copley’s wall that show him with a red cross on his arm – but that was literal ages ago and during a war. There have been so many advancements in medicine since then that it is no wonder Nicky wasn’t up to date. There was no reason for him to catch up on things, not when he and the others stayed out of long-term conflicts for fear of leaving traces and their immortality being discovered. Nile wouldn’t be surprised if the last time Nicky had had to patch up someone was during the second world war – and those people back then were strangers and not someone he has known for over nine-hundred years. His job had been to stabilize them until they could be evacuated to an aid station behind the lines where surgeons could take over, not care for them. He probably never had to sit at someone’s bedside while they recovered, or learned how to treat minor ailments like headaches or the symptoms of the cold.</p><p>It slowly dawns on Nile that it’s not just bullet wounds, knife injuries and broken ribs they are going to have to deal with now that Andy is mortal. Mission-related injuries are only part of the problem. Andy will get sick, sooner or later, and when that happens taking her to the doctor won’t be an option, not if they want to keep a low profile. It will come down to Nicky, Joe and herself to see Andy through it, to ease her pain when she is brought down to her knees, and Nile suddenly understands why Nicky looks so overwhelmed. After all these lifetimes, he, Joe and Andy suddenly have to readjust to this new status quo they’ve always feared. They need to relearn what it means to be human, to be vulnerable and breakable, and fast because Andy’s life depends on it.</p><p><em>Maybe that’s why I came into their lives</em>, Nile thinks as she watches Nicky bury his face in his hands. Out of all of them, she’s most likely the only one who still remembers what it’s like to be plagued by something as mundane as a headache, and definitely the only who knows how it’s treated nowadays. She knows how to stock a first aid kit as well – something her dad used to teach her, a long time ago – and which medical supplies they need and where to get them. Not to mention vaccinations. She’s pretty sure the others have never gotten a single shot in their lives since there was no reason for them to until now. Nile makes a mental note to talk to Copley about getting Andy all the vaccinations she needs as soon as possible.</p><p>With that thought in mind, Nile looks back at Nicky. Seeing his slumped posture, she places her cup on the table and reaches out to him. Gently and carefully, she pulls his hands away from his face so that she can look at him. His eyes, when they finally meet hers, are tired and dull, weighed down with a hundred different worries and what-ifs, and Nile is glad she is able to put at least one of them to rest.</p><p>“Look, I know I’m new to all this immortal stuff and still have a lot to learn,” she begins. “But I know how Andy feels right now. I <em>remember</em>, and I want to help, Nicky. I may not be a doctor but I’ve been trained in first aid and I can tell you everything you want to know about modern medicine. Or, you know,” she amends, “show you where to find the information you need.”</p><p>Nicky blinks at her, mouth falling open in surprise, before a look of such open wonder lights up his face that Nile can’t help but think it’s no surprise that Joe fell in love with him all those centuries ago after they’ve stopped killing each other.  </p><p>“You would do that?” he whispers almost in disbelief. “You would teach me?”</p><p>“Of <em>course</em>,” Nile says and underlines her words with a smile. It feels good to be useful again. “Nicky, you’re not alone in this either. You do know that, right?”</p><p>Nicky’s eyes fall to their hands, still resting loosely clasped on top of the table.</p><p>“Sì,” he says after a moment. “But to be honest, I was not sure you would be staying.” He looks up again and his eyes are shining with relief and happiness. “I am glad you are, Nile. Very glad.”</p><p>“Me too,” Nile says, surprised to find that it is the truth. Without even realizing it she has made her decision, and now that she’s aware of that it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders. For the first time in hours, her mind is quiet. She smiles at Nicky.. “You guys are pretty awesome.”</p><p>Nicky makes a soft sound of amusement. “So are you. We are very lucky to know you.”</p><p>They untangle their hands from each other and Nicky reaches for the pot of coffee to refill their cups. There is a moment of silence as they drink, only interrupted by the birds welcoming the morning with their songs.</p><p>“I was about to head out to get some breakfast before you came downstairs,” Nicky says. “This safe house is … not well stocked.” Nile snorts when he scrunches up his nose in barely concealed disgust. “Would you come with me? We could stop at a pharmacy on the way – to get some supplies for Andy?” he adds, sounding hopeful.</p><p>“Sure,” Nile smiles easily and pushes her chair back. “No time like the present for your first lesson in modern medicine, old man.”</p><p>Nicky’s huff of laughter settles around her like a warm blanket and Nile soaks it in. It reminds her of her brother, and she braces herself for the wave of sadness that always seems to drown her nowadays when she thinks of her family but to her surprise it doesn’t come. Instead, an odd feeling of peace spreads through her as she ties off her shoes and watches Nicky scribble a quick note to Joe on a piece of paper to tell him where they’re going. He ends it with a wonky little heart and the gesture, so similar to the notes her dad used to leave her mom, is enough to tell Nile that things will be okay. Not right now, perhaps, and not like before but they will be one day.</p><p>And so will she.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First I wanted to thank everyone who left kudos and comments on my first TOG story <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/70663629">Rest your hand in mine</a> for the warm welcome into the fandom! I appreciate all your kind words and messages very much! 💙</p><p>Now I'm back with a new story, this time a multi-chaptered fic that will have six chapters in total and explore both Nile's first few weeks and months with her new family and how the team, especially Nicky, deals with Andy's new mortality. At the moment I'm working on finishing the final chapter, so most of the story is already written. Updates will happen regularly, probably every weekend. Maybe sooner, depending how well the editing process goes. I hope you all enjoy this little project as much as my last one! </p><p>You can also find me <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">here</a> on tumblr if you'd like to chat.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Practice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Warning:</b> This chapter contains <b>self-harm</b>. It's a means to an end and not done because the character wants to cause themselves pain but please don't read this if this is triggering for you.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: Practice</strong>
</p><p>“What do you call an alligator in a vest?”</p><p>Nile groans as she searches for the key. “Please don’t.”</p><p>Joe shifts the groceries from one arm to the other and grins at her, all teeth and barely held back glee. “An investigator!”</p><p>Nile takes a deep breath to calm herself. It doesn’t help.</p><p>“I’m never going shopping with you again,” she grumbles as she finally fishes the key out of her pocket. She turns to Joe so she can point it at his chest. “Do you hear me, Joe? Never again.”</p><p>And she means it. This is the first and last time she volunteers to go shopping with him. The next time one of their safe houses is in need of restocking, Joe can go to the market on his own. Or he can take Nicky or Andy with him – Nile doesn’t care as long as it’s not her who’s going to be stuck with him and his awful jokes for <em>two hours</em>.</p><p>Her moody thoughts must show on her face because a moment later, Joe lets out a laugh. “Nicky thinks my jokes are funny.”</p><p>Nile doesn’t even bother to hold back her snort as she opens the door. As if. She may have only known Nicky for a few days but it has been long enough to figure out that out of all of them, he has the best sense of humor. There is no way he genuinely likes Joe’s jokes.</p><p>“Nicky <em>pretends</em> to find them funny because he loves you to the moon and back,” she tells Joe with a smirk. “He’s only humoring you.”</p><p>Joe shrugs, a besotted smile on his face. “Good enough for me.”</p><p>Ugh.</p><p>“You guys are disgustingly cute, you know that?”</p><p>Joe is about to reply when a quiet noise makes them both freeze. Nile glances at Joe, all her senses suddenly on high alert, and sees him tense up as well. Gone are the amused crinkles around his eyes and the smile from his face. When they exchange a look, he looks worried. In unspoken agreement, they both quietly place their groceries on the floor and reach for their guns. It’s been barely a week since Merrick’s lab and memories of a different safe house suddenly flash through Nile’s mind in vivid colors.</p><p><em>Please god</em>, she thinks. <em>Not again. Not so soon.  </em></p><p>The awful noise echoes faintly down the hallway again, and this time Nile recognizes it as a muffled groan. It almost sounds like someone coming back to life after a particularly gruesome death, and a part of Nile, the one that used to be mortal and lived a normal life, still finds it hard to believe that such a sound even exists in the world, let alone that she is already so familiar with it that she can identify it.</p><p>Nile pushes the thought to the back of her mind. This is not the time to freak out about her newfound immortality and all the weirdness that goes with it.</p><p>She looks at Joe and with a nod, wordlessly signals for him to take point. As if they have known each other for centuries instead of only a few days and done this a hundred times before, they move down the hallway in silent, smooth efficiency. It reminds her of her time in the Marines, and even though a small pang of regret accompanies the memories of her military life, Nile takes comfort in the knowledge that just like then, she has someone she trusts to have her back. It’s enough to calm her racing heart so she can focus on the task at hand.</p><p>The kitchen door is closed when they reach it. In unspoken agreement, Joe stops on one side of it and Nile takes the other. They exchange one last look to make sure they’re on the same page before Joe raises three of his fingers.</p><p>Two.</p><p>One.</p><p>He pushes the door open and Nile rushes inside, gun held in front of her and ready to shoot whoever is waiting for them on the other side and hurting her team.</p><p>The scene that greets her is unlike anything she expected.</p><p>The first thing she notices as she comes to an abrupt stop is the blood on the floor, its red color a stark contrast against the light grey tiles. Her eyes follow its trail first to a sock-clad foot and then up a pale leg to a thigh that’s marred by several dark, slightly uneven stitches. A needle is hovering above the leg, held steady by a bloodied hand, and the sight of the black thread pulling at already healed skin makes Nile’s stomach turn.</p><p>Behind her, Joe enters the room and almost runs into her, but Nile can’t bring herself to move or tear her eyes away from the bloody mess that is Nicky’s thigh.</p><p><em>This is a nightmare</em>, she thinks numbly. <em>An awful, bloody nightmare.</em></p><p>“What the …” Joe begins, the words slowly trailing off as his brain catches up with his eyes. He looks at Nicky who is still holding the needle between his fingers and staring up at them like a deer caught in the headlights. A look of pure horror passes over Joe’s face. “Nicolò, what are you <em>doing</em>?”</p><p>Yeah, Nile would like to know that as well.</p><p>Nicky’s expression turns a little sheepish. “I thought I would be done by the time you came back,” he says. He looks down at the needle in his hand with a small frown, as if the whole thing is its fault. “Obviously, I was mistaken.”</p><p>“Yeah, obviously,” Nile echoes faintly, still unable to drag her eyes away from the black threads. Slowly, she lowers her gun and tucks it safely into the back of her jeans. Joe mirrors her movements a moment later.</p><p>An awkward silence fills the kitchen.</p><p>“Right,” Nicky says, clearing his throat. “Just give me a moment to finish this and then I’ll clean up the kitchen and get dinner started.”</p><p>“Oh no, you won’t,” Joe tells him firmly. He walks right up to Nicky, an unhappy frown marring his features. “You will stay right where you are and you will not move one inch or so help me my god or yours, Nicolò.”</p><p>He reaches for the scissors without waiting for Nicky’s reaction and snaps off the remaining thread with a bit more force than Nile thinks is strictly necessary. But she gets it. She gets how he feels, how the sight of Nicky’s bloody thigh makes his stomach roll and his blood boil in anger that stems from helplessness and a thousand questions of <em>why</em>.</p><p>When Joe silently holds out his hand for the needle, Nicky relinquishes it without protest. He clasps his hands together in his lap as Joe turns away from him, and bows his head. Not in guilt, Nile thinks, but in regret for causing them pain. Somehow, that makes it even worse.</p><p>She looks over at Joe. He’s standing by the sink and staring at the red needle in his hand with an unreadable expression on his face. His hands are shaking ever so slightly and Nile cautiously walks up to him. She knows that look on his face, lost and overwhelmed and unable to comprehend what is going on, let alone how to make it better. She’s been there before, many times. Often enough to know that sometimes, someone needs to step in and break the cycle.</p><p>With gentle hands, she takes the needle from Joe’s trembling fingers.</p><p>“I’ll clean this up,” she murmurs. “Go be with him. Don’t worry about anything else.”</p><p>Joe gives her a small, grateful smile before he stumbles back to Nicky’s side. Nicky looks up at him, his eyes full of sorrow and silently pleading for forgiveness, and Joe doesn’t hesitate to reach for his hands. He cradles them close to his chest, bloody as they are, and holds them tightly.</p><p>“Why?” he chokes out as Nile ducks under the sink in search of a rag and bucket. He sounds more wrecked than Nile has ever heard him, as if the pain of seeing Nicky like this is too hard to bear.</p><p>Nicky lets out a soft breath. “Because I am out of practice, Yusuf.”</p><p>Just like that, the puzzle pieces fall into place and Nile nearly bangs her head on the roof of the cupboard when she realizes what is really going on.</p><p><em>You stupid man,</em> she thinks as her fingers wrap around the handle of the bucket. <em>You stupid, noble, immortal man.</em></p><p>Nicky’s head is bowed as if the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders when she turns around, and Joe’s forehead is gently leaning against Nicky’s temple in quiet reassurance.</p><p>“What even are you talking about?” he asks helplessly, still not understanding.</p><p>Nicky closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “The last time I did this was in the woods outside of Foy, Joe. In <em>1945</em>. Andromache deserves better than that.”</p><p>“Andromache?” Joe whispers with a frown. His eyes widen and Nile knows it has finally hit him why Nicky is doing this. She turns away from them with an aching heart to fill the bucket with water, unable to stand the look of heartbreak on Joe’s face. “That’s what this is about? Andy’s mortality?”</p><p>Nicky nods solemnly. His eyes fall to the fresh stitches on his thigh. “One day, she will have need of this, Joe. I must be prepared.”</p><p>“I know this,” Joe whispers. Nicky looks up at him and their eyes meet. “Of course I know this, but Nicky … this is not the way.”</p><p>As quietly and unobtrusively as she can, Nile kneels down next to them and starts mopping up the blood on the floor. She’s not even sure they’re noticing her presence but she does her best not to intrude on their conversation, especially when she hears Nicky softly say, “Better me than anyone else.”</p><p>She freezes mid-motion.</p><p>“No,” Joe chokes out with a shake of his head. “Never, Nicolò. <em>Never</em>.”  </p><p>Silence falls and Nile forces herself to continue with her task. The water in her bucket slowly turns red and it is only when the floor is clean that she dares to look up again. Pain and sorrow are etched into both Nicky and Joe’s faces, there for different reasons. Joe looks like a rug has been pulled out from under his feet while Nicky’s eyes glimmer with the fierce need to protect those he loves as best as he can. It seems like neither of them knows where to go from here and even though Nile still thinks she has no right to intrude on this, she finds herself unable to keep quiet because she knows how to fix this and wants to help.</p><p>Tentatively, she places one of her hands on Nicky’s knee, careful not to touch the fresh sutures.</p><p>“There are kits for this kind of thing now, Nicky,” she says quietly. “Practice kits. You can buy them on the internet.”</p><p>Nicky’s breathing catches in his throat. “Really?”</p><p>Nile offers him a small, wobbly smile. “Really. I’ll order you as many as you want if you promise me to never do <em>that</em>“- she gestures at the dark lines of thread running through his pale skin -“again.”</p><p>Nicky hangs his head in shame. “I did not know,” he confesses. Joe squeezes his hand.</p><p>“Yeah, I figured as much,” Nile says gently, still holding onto her smile even though she feels like crying. “We can look them up later if you want to?”</p><p>Nicky nods. “Yes, I would like that. Thank you, Nile.”</p><p>Relief fills her, rushing in like the tide, and Nile knows Joe feels the same when his eyes fall close and he lets out a soft sigh. He presses a kiss to Nicky’s temple and lets his lips linger there both in reassurance and reverence.</p><p>“You and your stupid, kind heart,” he murmurs.</p><p>Nicky allows his body to lean more heavily against Joe’s. “I am sorry, Yusuf,” he says, voice full of regret. “I truly am.”</p><p>“I know,” Joe breathes out. When he opens his eyes again, his gaze falls to the stitches and the irritated skin around them. “It will hurt, getting them out.”</p><p>“I know,” Nicky echoes him, his voice a little strained. “You do not have to be here for it.”</p><p>Once again, Nile finds herself unable to stay quiet.</p><p>“Don’t be stupid,” she tells Nicky in a voice that breaks no argument. “Joe will stay right where he is and hold your hand while I get them out.” She pauses. “None of us has to do this alone, Nicky. You told me that.”</p><p>Nicky gives her a soft smile and nods. “Sì, I did.”</p><p>Nile puts both the bucket and the rag away before she washes and disinfects her hands thoroughly. She knows it’s not strictly necessary because of their immortality but old habits die hard and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. She catches Nicky’s eyes, silently asking him if he’s ready, and when he nods she gets to work, pulling out one thread after another. Through it all, Joe holds Nicky close, whispering words of comfort in a mix of languages Nile has no hope of understanding. They sound warm and reassuring, though, full of love and devotion, and hearing them makes her task a little easier to bear.</p><p>By the time she is done, Nicky is gritting his teeth against Joe’s neck in an effort to stay quiet. The floor is once again covered in blood and Nile feels sick when she looks at it but the stitches are out and in the end, that’s all that matters. As gently as she can, she cleans Nicky’s thigh with a washcloth. All traces of torn skin and open wounds are already gone, and Nile can’t help but wonder if it will ever cease to amaze her, this healing ability they have.</p><p>“There,” she says, smiling up at Nicky as she wipes the last traces of blood off his skin. “Good as new.”</p><p>Nicky lets out a shuddering breath and Joe finally pulls him fully into his arms. Nile can’t see Nicky’s face but Joe’s eyes meet hers over Nicky’s shoulder, shining with gratitude and relief. Her smile softens, and when Joe buries his face against Nicky’s neck, she turns away from them to clean the floor a second time that day, letting them have this moment.</p><p>When Andy comes downstairs half an hour later, her hair still a bit tousled from sleep, all evidence of Nicky’s training exercise is gone. The needle and thread have been disinfected and put back into the first aid kit, the bucket and rag have been thoroughly cleaned put back under the sink and the floor is spotless thanks to her military efficiency. Nicky smiles when Andy walks into the room, warm and open like he always does, and immediately offers her his seat so she doesn’t have to round the table to reach one of the two unoccupied chairs.</p><p>“And they say chivalry is dead,” Andy smirks as she sits down, her eyes alight with faint amusement even as she winces when the movement pulls at her injury. She squeezes Nicky’s hand in thanks, the gesture honest despite her teasing words, and Nicky allows his touch to linger for a moment.</p><p>“Anything for you, Andy,” he says.</p><p>Nile wonders if Andy knows how true those words actually are.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A huge thank you to all the lovely folks who left kudos and comments on the first chapter! I loved reading your thoughts and I appreciate all your feedback very much. I hope the second chapter doesn't disappoint. Chapter 3 will be up next weekend. </p><p>As always, I'm also on <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> so if you want to say hi and chat about The Old Guard, send me a message :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Regret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Warning:</b> This chapter contains <b>alcohol abuse</b> and <b>swearing</b>.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Regret</strong>
</p>
<p>They’ve been playing for only roughly an hour when Nile begins to regret suggesting Monopoly as a way to spend their evening.</p>
<p>It’s been only a week since they finally stopped running from one safe house to another. Nile knows the long car rides and the lack of sleep that came with them haven’t done Andy any good – neither of them, if she is being honest – and when Nicky finally puts his foot down and demands they lie low until Andy’s wound has healed, she feels nothing but relief that they can finally rest and catch their breaths for a little while.</p>
<p>Two days and almost twenty hours of sleep later, she begins to realize that lying low is not only a blessing. None of her new team is used to how long it takes for ordinary human flesh and tissue to knit itself back together and heal, and it shows. Every morning, when Nicky changes Andy’s bandages only to find no visible sign that the wound is getting better, the worry lines on all their faces grow a little deeper. Even though Nile does her best to reassure them that this is normal, that it will take weeks until Andy is completely fine again, it’s not enough to keep the frowns off their faces or lift their spirits.</p>
<p>Nicky and Joe try to hide their worry behind smiles that don’t quite reach their eyes but the way they look at each other tells Nile exactly how heavy the sight of Andy’s wound and the irritated skin around it weighs on them. Andy, for what it’s worth, seems to handle the situation a little better, at least at first, but even she can’t quite manage to mask how much her wound bothers her. These days, a scowl mars her feature almost permanently.</p>
<p>It doesn’t help that they’re all cooped up in a small house with no wi-fi and nothing to do but rest and wait and <em>think</em>. The days pass slowly without immediate threats keeping the adrenaline pumping, and soon a hush falls over them that no laughter and no gentle conversations seem to manage to dissipate.</p>
<p><em>It’s too quiet</em>, Nile thinks one morning during another solemn breakfast. The food tastes as great as always and yet she finds herself picking at it listlessly. The others aren’t faring much better and after not even twenty minutes, Andy leaves the table without a word, ready to hole herself up in her room for the rest of the day – almost like a cat who is prepared to lick her wounds in privacy until they either heal or kill her. Her plate, like always, remains mostly untouched and Nicky sighs. It’s not the first time she has done this. They’re so used to her keeping to herself by now that their eyes don’t even bother to follow her slow, painful progress up the stairs anymore. They know she doesn’t want their help. Andy made that quite clear a few days ago when Nicky offered her an arm and she snarled at him to stay the fuck away from her.</p>
<p>He hasn’t offered her his help ever since.</p>
<p>They all have their different ways to cope with this. Joe has taken to sitting at the window, absentmindedly drawing whatever inspiration his eyes find in the woods and meadows outside. Sometimes, the sound of charcoal on paper doesn’t cease all day. Nicky is never far away from him. He spends his days curled up on the couch with medical journals and textbooks from the local library stacked up around him, sometimes copying whole passages and drawings into an old, frayed notebook that has splotches of mud all over its cover.</p>
<p>And Nile? She feels like the walls are closing in on her a little bit more each morning when she wakes up with the oppressive silence bearing down on her from all around. She wants to get to know these people, wants them all to become the family her heart tells her they will be one day, but for that to happen they would have to start <em>talking </em>to each other again first and so far Nile hasn’t had much luck starting up conversations and keeping them going. Nicky and Joe try, she can see that. They are always willing to answer whatever questions she has and never fail to ask her how she is and if she slept well, but Andy’s silence seems to chip away at them, day by day, until they look more tired in the morning than they did when they went to sleep the night before.  </p>
<p>Nile hates it. Something has to change, and when she finds an ancient version of Monopoly hidden in a closet during one of her explorations of the house, almost twice as old as she is, Nile thinks, <em>Perfect</em>. She loves that game, has played it often enough with her family to know that it can take hours if one sticks to the rules – and a few hours of mindless fun that allow them to come together again and focus on something other than betrayal and ticking clocks for once is exactly what they need.</p>
<p>So that evening, when Andy pushes her half-eaten plate away from her and is about to stand up and leave, Nile clears her throat to get everyone’s attention and proposes game night with a smile that probably looks more confident than she feels.</p>
<p>The idea, predictably, is not met with much enthusiasm.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Nicky says uncertainly, glancing at the stack of books he still has to read, and Nile can’t help but feel a little disappointed. She thought, out of all of them, Nicky would at least be on her side.</p>
<p>She’s about to bury the idea of game night and admit defeat when Joe comes to her rescue.</p>
<p>“Join us, Nicolò,” he smiles before he intertwines their fingers and gives him a lingering kiss. He almost seems to be glad to have an excuse to not have to pick up his charcoal and return to his spot by the window. “Your books will still be here tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Nicky’s eyes soften and when he gives in with a silent nod and a quiet, “Very well,” Joe rewards him with another kiss and a squeeze of his hand.</p>
<p>Convincing Andy is not so easy.</p>
<p>“Come on,” Nile almost begs her while Nicky and Joe set up the game. “It’s going to be fun.”</p>
<p>Andy gives her an unimpressed look that tells Nile exactly what she thinks of board games. “No, thanks.”</p>
<p>She pushes herself to her feet.</p>
<p>“Please?” Nile tries, desperate. “We see so little of you all day. We miss you.”</p>
<p>For a beat Andy doesn’t move and Nile mentally prepares herself for getting another bullet in her head for her troubles. But then Andy lets out a heavy, world-weary sigh and slowly sits back down at the kitchen table. “You are going to regret this,” she warns.</p>
<p>Nile grins at her, feeling like a weight has just been lifted off her shoulder. “No, I won’t.”</p>
<p>An hour later, she does. She hadn’t realized Andy and Joe would be as ruthless when playing a board game as they are when taking down bad people. Their strategies are completely different from each other but similarly effective. Andy’s streak of luck, however, is quite frankly unfair and Nile is still trying to figure out how Joe keeps generating more and more money for himself when he doesn’t even have houses on his streets yet.</p>
<p>By the time most streets have been acquired, things are starting to get ugly. Every time Andy and Joe try to make a deal with each other, they end up arguing. Loudly. Neither of them is willing to give the other any leeway or pay more than what the street in question is worth, leaving them at an impasse. Nile is about to take a breath to prepare herself to step in and play mediator because she’s getting tired of this when Nicky’s subtle shake of his head stops her.</p>
<p>“Don’t,” he tells her softly. “They are always like this.”</p>
<p>There’s a worried crease between his eyebrows when he looks at Andy, but before Nile can ask what’s wrong Nicky turns back to her and hands her his Park Lane card with a small smile. “Here. Now you can build houses while they yell.”</p>
<p>His words are spoken softly yet somehow Andy and Joe hear him despite their arguing. They both stop talking midsentence and stare first at them and then at the card Nile is now holding in her hand. Andy curses under her breath and drowns her third glass of wine that night, her expression darkening.</p>
<p>Joe, on the other hand, glares at Nicky and lets out a grumbling huff. “Thanks for that, oh love of my life,” he says, his words of endearment dripping with sarcasm.</p>
<p>Nicky just shrugs. His eyes keep following the movement of Andy’s hand as she reaches for the wine bottle to refill her glass. “I would do it for you too, Yusuf. You know that.”</p>
<p>Two rounds later, he proves himself right when he trades his Oxford Street for Joe’s Electric Company. Another round later and he gives Andy Trafalgar Square and receives Liverpool Street Station in return. Nile has no idea what his plan is, or if he even <em>has</em> a plan, but if he was hoping to diffuse the tension by giving away his streets so the rest of them can start putting houses on them, he needn’t have bothered. If anything, Joe and Andy become even more competitive now that the real game has begun.</p>
<p>“Ha!” Joe yells gleefully when Andy’s game piece stops on his Oxford Street for the third time in as many rounds. “You know the drill, Andromache. Hand that sweet money over.”</p>
<p>That’s when Andy upgrades from wine to tequila.</p>
<p>Nicky, almost out of money by now, watches her refill her glass with silent disapproval. Nile can tell that he’s getting tired of both the game and Andy and Joe’s arguing. Their words are slowly turning from friendly banter into sharp jabs and even though they have not yet crossed the line into being purposefully hurtful Nile knows they soon will if no one intervenes.</p>
<p>When Andy downs another shot, Nicky calmly puts his hands on the table.</p>
<p>“I think it is time to stop,” he says and his quiet voice cuts through the tension in the air like a knife. He locks eyes with Andy. “You will feel awful in the morning if you continue like this.”</p>
<p>Andy scoffs and refills her glass, clearly out of spite, and Nile suddenly realizes that this is not about the game or the insults traded between Joe and Andy. It’s about the alcohol, about Andy’s mortality and how her body can’t handle this kind of abuse anymore. Nile has only absentmindedly noticed it before but now that she knows what to look for, she can see the redness around Andy’s eyes and the slightly dazed look in them. The slight slur in Andy’s voice suddenly becomes a lot more obvious when she salutes Nicky with her shot glass and tells him to fuck himself before she downs it.</p>
<p><em>Shit</em>, Nile thinks.</p>
<p>She glances at Nicky but to her surprise he shows no outward reaction to Andy’s words. His eyes remain fixed on the alcohol, intent, worried and full of concern. Joe, however, goes completely still.</p>
<p>“Andy,” he warns in a low voice. “You know he means well. And you know he is <em>right</em>.”</p>
<p>“The only thing I know,” Andy begins, her voice dangerously low, “is that <em>he</em>,” she points at Nicky, “should mind his own business and leave me the fuck alone.”</p>
<p>Nicky shakes his head and Nile thinks he looks sad when he says, “I am sorry, Andromache but I can’t do that. You cannot drink like you used to. Your body will not be able to handle it.”</p>
<p>“Says who?” Andy challenges.</p>
<p>“Science,” Nicky says calmly. “And common sense.” He heaves a heavy breath. The look on his face turns from sad to pleading. “Please, Andromache. You are going to regret this if you do not stop.”</p>
<p>Andy puts down her glass with so much force the pieces tremble on the board. A few houses fall victim to her earthquake.</p>
<p>“I do not need you to tell me about regrets, <em>Nicolò</em>,” she spats and pushes back her chair. She leaves the room without looking back and they watch her go in silence. A few seconds later they hear a door slam shut, and Nile winces.</p>
<p>“That could have gone better,” she murmurs.</p>
<p>Nicky lets out a long sigh. “I am sorry,” he says. “I did not mean to ruin game night. It was a good idea of yours.”</p>
<p>Nile feels her chest tighten at the honest regret she hears in his voice.</p>
<p>“You didn’t ruin it,” she tells him kindly, and because Nicky looks like he could need some physical reassurance as well, she gives his shoulder a brief squeeze. “I didn’t even notice how much she was drinking but … you were right. She needed to stop.”</p>
<p>“It has become somewhat of a problem,” Joe agrees quietly. “Andy and … and Booker, they always turned to the bottle for comfort. It is not good.”</p>
<p>Nicky nods solemnly. “Andy is hurting,” he says. “Both inside and outside. But this,” he glares at the bottle of tequila that’s still standing next to Andy’s empty shot glass on the table, “is not the way to deal with it.”</p>
<p>He stands up abruptly and empties both the tequila and the wine into the sink. If Nile hadn’t known better she would have thought he was angry. Nicky’s eyes are narrowed as he watches the alcohol drain away, dark in a way she has never seen them before. His back is straight, his shoulders tense, but beneath all that Nile can see helplessness and worry bleeding through.</p>
<p>Joe can see it, too, and Nile watches silently as he stands up and gently takes the empty bottles from Nicky’s hands to throw them away.</p>
<p>“We will take better care of her,” he promises. Nile’s heart breaks when Nicky bows his head and hides his face in his hands. Without hesitation, Joe draws him into his arms and holds him close. “We <em>will</em>,” he says again, stressing the words. “And she will get better. It is not her time yet, Nicky. It is not.”</p>
<p>Nicky lets out a shuddering breath and nods against Joe’s shoulder, and Nile feels the pressure in her chest ease a little. She busies herself with packing up the game to give them both a minute to collect themselves before she bids them goodnight. They don’t need her here, not for this, and when she wakes up in a cold sweat four hours later, feeling the phantom pain of water in her lungs, she remembers Andy’s words about regret and wonders if Andy’s newfound mortality troubles her for a very different reason than they all think.</p>
<p>When morning comes and the first rays of sunlight drift in through the window, Nile is barely awake enough to drag her tired body downstairs. She can smell bacon and eggs, and after spending the last few weeks with the others, she isn’t surprised to find Nicky in the kitchen, manning the stove.</p>
<p>What does surprise her, however, is that Andy’s with him. She’s sitting at the table with a glass of water and some painkillers in front of her, no doubt courtesy of Nicky.</p>
<p>When Andy sees her, she offers her a small smile as if last night never happened. “Good morning.”</p>
<p>It takes Nile’s tired brain a moment to process this.</p>
<p>“Uh, hi Andy,” she says awkwardly before she glances at Nicky. “Good morning.”</p>
<p>“Good morning, Nile,” Nicky smiles. He gestures to a chair. “Sit. Breakfast is almost ready.”</p>
<p>Five minutes later, Joe joins them and for a moment it is just like the night before – except there is no tension between them now, only barely awake softness and gentle gestures. For once, mindless conversation fills the silence Nile got so used to over the last few days, and when breakfast is finished Andy surprises them all by staying, even when Nicky nods at the pills and says, “Take them.”</p>
<p>Instead of protesting as Nile expected her to, Andy simply takes the pills and downs them with a mouthful of water.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Nicky,” she says quietly. Their eyes meet. “You were right, yesterday. I do regret it now.”</p>
<p>Nicky’s face softens. “I know.”</p>
<p>It’s not an apology per se but when Nicky pulls Andy into his arms Nile can feel something shift back into place nonetheless. She looks at Joe and finds him smiling at the two of them. He winks at her when he catches her staring, and just like that Nile knows that everything will be alright.</p>
<p>She grins and helps herself to more bacon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First of all, I'd like to apologize for any Monopoly-related inaccuracies. While I know the game and have played it lots of times, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the English terminology, so please excuse any weird words I may have used (or kindly point them out to me so I can change them). </p>
<p>Secondly, huge thanks once again to everyone who has left me kudos and / or comments! I really love reading all your thoughts and I am very grateful for every single one of you who takes time out of their day to share them with me. Thank you very much! 💙 As always, chapter four will be up next weekend. </p>
<p>And finally as always, you can also find me on <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> so if you want to say hi and chat about The Old Guard, send me a message :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. History</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: History</strong>
</p>
<p>It starts during a mission. They’re at the Port of Hamburg in Germany, also known as the <em>Gateway to the World</em>, trying to take down the leaders of a human trafficking ring, and the weather in Hamburg is almost as gloomy and rainy as it was in England before they left. It’s the middle of October and it’s <em>cold</em>. Nile is stuck outside with Andy keeping an eye on a containership Joe infiltrated a few days ago to gather intel while Nicky is somewhere high above them on the roof of one of the surrounding buildings, keeping an eye on them and ready to intervene in case things go south.</p>
<p>Ten minutes into their stakeout it starts raining. Nile curses under her breath and pulls her hood up over her head to keep off the worst of it.</p>
<p>“Looking good down there, Nile,” Nicky comments over their comms.</p>
<p>There is a smile in his voice and despite the dreadful weather, Nile can’t help but smirk. “What can I say? I learned from the best.”</p>
<p>Next to her, Andy snorts.</p>
<p>Another twenty minutes pass with no sign from Joe. The rain gets heavier and the wind picks up. It’s so cold the air almost tastes like snow and somewhere in the back of her mind Nile wonders how their immortal bodies deal with frostbite – will the dead pieces fall off and regrow or will they heal from within before the cold can cause too much damage?</p>
<p>She’s not keen to find out.</p>
<p>“How much longer?” she asks Andy without taking her eyes off the containership.</p>
<p>“Half an hour,” Andy says after checking her watch. “If Joe’s not back by then we go in.”</p>
<p>There’s something odd about her tone, odd enough that Nile glances over her shoulder at her. She takes in sharp, focused eyes, the determined set of Andy’s mouth – and lips that are more violet than red.</p>
<p>Nile frowns. “Are you cold?”</p>
<p>Andy scoffs at her. “Of course not.” She straightens her back and it’s only then that Nile realizes how hunched in on herself Andy was before, her shoulders almost up to her ears in an effort to keep warm.</p>
<p>Andy shudders.</p>
<p>“I call bullshit,” Nile says, taking in the thin jacket Andy is wearing, the lack of gloves and scarf and the drenched hair with a pointed look. “I can see you shivering.”</p>
<p>Andy lets out an exasperated sigh. “Eyes up front, Nile,” she says tiredly.</p>
<p>Nile ignores her. “Don’t we have some clothes in the car? I think I saw Nicky pack a bag earlier. You could go and layer up.” When Andy remains stubbornly quiet, Nile groans and activates her comms. “Nicky? Do we have some extra clothes in the car?”</p>
<p>“Sì,” Nicky replies at once. Then, “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>Andy shoots Nile a look that clearly says, <em>Don’t you dare</em>.</p>
<p>Nile ignores that as well. “Someone who shall not be named didn’t dress warm enough for this mission.”</p>
<p>Nicky launches into a string of Italian that Nile doesn’t understand. It sounds like a mix of anger, worry and exasperation. Judging by the way Andy cringes every time Nicky takes a breath only to start again, she’s not far off the mark.</p>
<p>When he’s finally running out of words, Andy tells him in a voice that breaks no argument, “Time’s almost up, Nicky. I’m not leaving.”</p>
<p>“You will catch a cold, Andromache,” Nicky warns.</p>
<p>Andy huffs out a quiet laugh even as another shiver wrecks her frame. “No, I won’t.”</p>
<p><em>Famous last words</em>, Nile has time to think before the ground shudders beneath her feet and smoke billows up from one of the ships. A few seconds later, Joe appears out of the Elbe like some vengeful river ghost, drenched from head to toe and looking more than a little pissed off. He runs towards them and Nile covers his six until he’s past her, dragging Andy with him.</p>
<p>“Go!” Nicky urges her over their comms just as another explosion shakes the port. “I’ve got you.”</p>
<p>Nile doesn’t need to be told twice. She brings up the rear and doesn’t look back when bodies begin to hit the ground behind her with dull, wet thuds. Both her and Joe make sure to always position themselves between Andy and the guys following them, but they needn’t have bothered. Nicky is not only good at what he does, he is <em>great</em> at it.</p>
<p>No bullet finds them as they make a run for their car.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It is three days later when the coughing starts. They’re holed up in a safe house in the Austrian Alps, laying low until the aftereffects of their mission aren’t all over international news anymore. Their <em>Almhütte</em> as the locals call it is small and cozy and surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains that overlook a small village with a crystal-clear lake in its center, and Nile doesn’t think she’s ever stayed in a more beautiful place in her life. It is peaceful here, and every morning and evening when she hears the mountain farmers calling in their cows for milking she can’t help but think that life, while not easy, surely is simpler here. Less hectic and complicated. A part of Nile wishes they could stay for longer than just a few days.</p>
<p>This particular morning, it is not the sound of cowbells ringing in the day that startles her awake. It’s a sound she’s been dreading to hear for days now.</p>
<p><em>Oh Andy, </em>she thinks as she gets out of bed.</p>
<p>When Nile walks downstairs, Andy is curled up on the sofa beneath two blankets and looking utterly miserable. The urge to tell her, “I told you so,” is strong.</p>
<p>Andy stops her with a glare before Nile can even finish the thought.</p>
<p>“Don’t,” she mutters, followed by a sneeze. Nile sighs in sympathy and reaches out to take Andy’s temperature, but she turns her head away before Nile’s fingers can make contact. “Nicky already did that,” she grumbles. “I’m fine. It’s just a cold.”</p>
<p>“You are <em>not</em> fine, Andromache.”</p>
<p>Talk of the devil. Nicky walks into the room with an expression Nile would have taken for pure exasperation not so long ago, back when she didn’t know Nicky yet. Now she sees the barely hidden concern and worry on his face as plain as day as he hands a steaming mug to Andy.</p>
<p>Andy makes a face.</p>
<p>“That’s not coffee,” she says, scrunching up her nose in distaste.</p>
<p>“No, it is not,” Nicky agrees with a pleasant smile that looks strained and has no hope of reaching his eyes. “It’s chamomile tea. Drink it. It is good for your sore throat.”</p>
<p>Andy looks like she’s considering throwing it right back in his face but when Nicky crosses his arms in front of his chest and gives her a stern look, she slumps back into the cushions and begins to nurse her tea with a grumbled, “I hate you.”</p>
<p>Nicky’s face softens and there is so much love and sadness in his eyes that Nile has to look away. It makes her heart ache, seeing him like this and knowing that every time Andy coughs, every time she sneezes or sniffs a thousand <em>what ifs</em> are running through his head.</p>
<p>
  <em>What if she gets worse?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What if her cold turns into pneumonia?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What if this will be the last time I see her or hear her voice? </em>
</p>
<p>Nile is glad that Joe chooses this moment to join them in the living room. His presence is enough to chase away the bone-deep worry from Nicky’s features for a short while. They share a lingering kiss to greet each other and Nicky glows like the sunrise beneath Joe’s hands, soft and warm and full of dawning light when Joe’s fingers come up to touch his face in reverence. Leaning into the loving touch without hesitation, Nicky’s eyes fall close for a brief second as he takes strength from Joe’s love.</p>
<p>“You’ve been up early,” Joe murmurs as he gently brings their foreheads together, almost too soft for Nile to hear.</p>
<p>Nicky makes a confirming sound that is nothing more than a quiet hum. “I was making breakfast. Andy is not feeling well, and I need to go into town.”</p>
<p>“After breakfast,” Joe tells him gently but firmly.</p>
<p>Nicky relents with a nod. “Of course.”</p>
<p>He pulls away from Joe and they glance over at Andy at the same time. Feeling their eyes on her, she rolls her own. “I’m fine. Seriously. It’s not the first time I’ve had a cold.”</p>
<p>Nicky bites his lip, clearly stopping himself from saying what they’re all thinking.</p>
<p>Joe has no such qualms.</p>
<p>“It is the first time since you became mortal again,” he says. His eyes are warm and there is a soft melancholic smile on his face when he crouches down before her to take her hands. “Let us fuss a little, Andy. Please.”</p>
<p>Andy considers this for a moment before she holds out her mug of tea to him. “There’s fussing, and then there’s torture. This,” she says, shaking the mug a little, “is torture.”</p>
<p>Joe sniffs at the tea, grins and shrugs. “It is good for your throat.”</p>
<p>“Ugh,” Andy makes and Nile can’t help but laugh.</p>
<p>They eat breakfast in the living room that morning. While Nile gets to share the couch with Andy, Joe and Nicky are sitting cross-legged at their feet on the floor, ready to hand them whatever they need from the small coffee table. It’s cozy – almost homely, a little voice in the back of Nile’s head insists. It makes her think of Chicago mornings back when her life had only been the normal amount of crazy and her dad was still around. A wave of sadness washes over her, brutal but brief – at least briefer than it would have been a month ago.</p>
<p>It’s progress.</p>
<p>Next to her, Andy coughs mid-sentence and almost doubles over with the force of it. Nicky is there in an instance, with a gentle touch to Andy’s elbow and soothing words Nile doesn’t understand. She sees her own worry mirrored on his face, and when Andy can finally breathe again and sits back, Nicky stands up without a word, leaving the rest of his breakfast untouched.</p>
<p>To Nile’s surprise, Joe doesn’t stop him from walking away. He merely sighs and turns to her and Andy with an apologetic look on his face. “Will you two be okay while we’re gone?”</p>
<p>Andy rolls her eyes. “I’m sure we can handle outselves. I’m sick, Joe, not an invalid.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Joe says softly. “And Nicky knows that, too.”</p>
<p>Andy’s shoulders sag and her words lose their sharp edge. “Make sure he doesn’t buy the whole market this time.”</p>
<p>The corner of Joe’s mouth twitches with amusement. “Will do, boss.”</p>
<p>After the front door falls shut behind them, Nile turns to Andy. “Nicky once bought a whole market?”</p>
<p>“Once?” Andy snorts. “I wish it happened only once. Nicky tends to go a bit overboard with the fussing when the people he loves are ill.”</p>
<p>“So we <em>can</em> get sick?” Nile asks.</p>
<p> “Sure,” Andy says with a nod. “If the sickness is caused by a virus or bacterium, we can catch it just like any other human being. I’m pretty sure I’ve died more times of fever than in combat.” Nile’s surprise must show on her face for Andy adds, “Hygienic standards and medical knowledge left a lot to be desired throughout most of history.”</p>
<p><em>Understatement of the year</em>, Nile thinks and can’t help but huff out a laugh.</p>
<p>Andy smiles back at her with tired eyes. “Don’t worry so much, kid. Nicky’s already got that well covered.”</p>
<p>“He only means well,” Nile feels the urge to defend him. “He loves you.”</p>
<p>Andy’s eyes soften and she suddenly looks tired and aged. “I know,” she says. “Out of all of us, he’s always been the one who feels most deeply.”</p>
<p>Over the last few weeks, Nile has seen ample proof of that. She pulls her legs up onto the sofa so she can face Andy better. “Tell me about him? About him and Joe?” she asks.</p>
<p>Andy does so gladly.</p>
<p>Her eyes are filled with fondness as she spins tales as old as time and full of love and kindness and perseverance with her words. She talks of bloody dreams, sandy first meetings and long walks beneath the stars. She paints pictures of swords that turn into bandages over time, of scowls that become smiles and of anger and loneliness that slowly melt into love and companionship. Their story is not a fairytale but it is all the more beautiful for its flaws, and when Joe and Nicky return from the market an hour later with their arms full of vegetables Nile has the fierce urge to hug them.</p>
<p>“Now, what did you two get up to while we were gone?” Joe asks when he joins them in the living room with fresh mugs of tea in his hands and a smile on his face while Nicky bustles around in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Andy shrugs. “We had a little history lesson.”</p>
<p>Joe raises one of his eyebrows and looks from Andy to Nile and back again. “Did you, hm?” His eyes flick back to Nile once more. “Whatever she told you, it probably wasn’t as bad as she made it sound.”</p>
<p>Nile snorts, remembering Andy’s words: <em>The greatest love story of all time.</em></p>
<p>“I think you should have more faith in her,” she tells Joe with a grin that Andy immediately matches.</p>
<p>“Yes, Yusuf, listen to her,” she says. A volent sneeze interrupts but doesn’t deter her. “Have more faith in me.”</p>
<p>With more drama than Nile thinks is truly necessary, Joe clutches at his heart. “We’ve been gone one hour and you’ve already turned the baby immortal against me!”</p>
<p>Nile gives him an unimpressed look. “I hate it when you call me that.”</p>
<p>Joe winks at her. “I know.” Then, out of nowhere, he procures a chocolate bar. “Here, got this for you. And for you“ – he says, turning to Andy, –“we managed to find some baklava.”</p>
<p>Andy takes it with a grateful smile. “I wish I could smell it.”</p>
<p>She may not be able to but Nile can. She can also smell the beginnings of what is probably going to be the most delicious soup she’s ever tasted wafting in from the kitchen. After years of military rations, Nicky’s cooking has been a <em>blessing</em>.</p>
<p>They spend the rest of the day in the living room, soaking up each other’s company, and when the soup is ready it tastes even better than Nile imagined. There’s a soft smile on Andy’s face afterwards, and when she places her hand on Nicky’s arm and quietly says, “Thank you,” Nicky’s face softens.</p>
<p>Nile gladly relinquishes her seat on the sofa for him and later, when Nicky is reading a book and Andy falls asleep against his shoulder, her cough finally letting her rest, she can’t resist quickly taking a picture on her phone of the two of them. Joe catches her and for a second Nile thinks he will ask her to delete it because they have to be regrettably careful about things like that, but instead he gives her a gentle grin and a thumbs-up before he goes back to drawing the love of his life and the best older sister anyone could wish for.</p>
<p>Nile smiles.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, my deepest gratitude to everyone who left kudos and comments on the latest chapter and the story in general! I love reading your thoughts and I am very grateful you share them with me! 💙 See you all in a week when it's time for chapter 5 in which the team goes to Ukraine for a rescue mission. </p>
<p>And finally as always, you can also find me on <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> so if you want to say hi and chat about The Old Guard, send me a message :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b> Warnings:</b> Discussion of the effects of radiation, mentions of kidnapping, description of bullet wounds and surgical procedures, swearing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: Mission</strong>
</p>
<p>The day starts like any other day. They’ve changed safe houses twice since Austria and are currently in Ukraine, just outside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – an area of roughly 1,000 square miles surrounding the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.</p>
<p>“In 1986, Reactor no. 4 exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in human history,” Nicky explains on the car ride over, his voice quiet and solemn. “The land there is so contaminated now that people will never be able to return and live there again. The amount of suffering this accident has caused –”</p>
<p>The air inside the car suddenly turns tense and uncomfortable as Nicky abruptly falls silent and stares at the countryside passing them by. Nile can almost feel the weight of memories bearing down on the others, and with a sinking feeling she hesitantly asks, “Were you … were you there? In Chernobyl, when it happened?”</p>
<p>From behind the wheel, Andy shakes her head. “No, not when it happened. But afterwards.”</p>
<p>There is a flash of pain on Nicky’s face before he closes his eyes and leans his head against the window. “We tried to help,” he whispers.</p>
<p>Joe’s hand reaches back from the front seat, searching blindly for Nicky’s behind him. Nicky holds onto it like a lifeline.</p>
<p>What follows is a horrific and detailed explanation of the symptoms of acute radiation syndrome Nile wishes she had stayed ignorant about. She doesn’t dare ask why Andy, Joe and Nicky know so much about it – if their knowledge comes from treating patients at the hospital or from personal experience resulting from participation in the cleanup measures. Both scenarios seem plausible from what she’s seen and heard – plausible yet too horrible to even <em>think</em> about, and Nile grinds her teeth against the images her mind procures of her team, her <em>friends</em> in hospital gowns, their faces burned red, beyond hope of healing.</p>
<p>They spend the rest of the car ride in silence.</p>
<p>The world seems quiet and still when they finally reach their safe house, as if the land remembers what had happened all those years ago and still mourns. Even the birds are silent, and Nile wants nothing more than to get back into the car, turn around and drive as far away from this place as possible.</p>
<p>“I don’t like it here,” she confesses as they haul their equipment into the house.</p>
<p>Andy shrugs. “If things go well, we’ll be out of here by this time tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Things won’t go well, but they don’t know that yet.</p>
<p>It’s late and they all pile up in the single bedroom the house offers. Normally, Nile would find comfort in the others’ presence and the now familiar sounds of their breathing. This night, however, it’s different. She keeps tossing and turning, desperately trying to stop her mind from conjuring up images of peeling skin and hollow gazes, of horribly transformed bodies lost in zinc coffins and buried under layers upon layers of concrete.</p>
<p>She is not the only one who struggles to find rest. Next to her, Andy keeps clawing at her own hands in her sleep until Nile shelters them with her own. She holds them against her chest, careful and gentle, and finds it hard to calm her broken heart. It becomes impossible when she hears a soft gasp from across the room, accompanied by a whispered, “It’s okay, Nicky. It’s in the past.”</p>
<p>Nile closes her eyes and wants to weep.</p>
<p>When morning comes, they all have dark circles beneath their eyes. Nicky is quiet while he makes them breakfast and Nile can’t stand it. She misses the song he usually hums and, desperate for something to say, she finally asks him what it’s called.</p>
<p>“Mhm?” Nicky mumbles, briefly looking up from the pan full of scrambled eggs he’s tending to. When Nile repeats her question, he shrugs. “It’s called <em>Non Basta Mai</em>.”</p>
<p>He leaves it at that and Nile turns to Joe, hoping for a little more information beyond that but it is Andy who ultimately takes pity on her.</p>
<p>“It’s an Italian version of an English song Nicky is fond of – <em>Never Enough</em>,” she says. Then she levels Nile with a knowing look, one side of her mouth pulling up in an amused half-smile. “Not much of a fan of musicals, are you?”</p>
<p>Nile shrugs. “I’ve seen <em>Hamilton</em>.”</p>
<p>“Of course you have,” Andy mutters fondly with a roll of her eyes.</p>
<p>After that, breakfast is a quiet and tense affair. They’re all lost in their thoughts, focused on the mission and everything that depends on it. It’s always hardest when children are involved Nile remembers Joe telling her once, back when they were in another safe house and different country. It’s how Copley was able to trick them in the first place, he’d said, and Nile can’t help but be amazed that despite that, they are still willing to run into the metaphorical fire again and again, ready to take on whatever pain, suffering or danger awaits them on the off chance that others will be spared it.</p>
<p>Nile admires that. She knows Andy, Joe and Nicky are not saints – they’re human and just like everyone else they are capable of doing awful things with the best of intentions in mind. The bloody trail they’ve left throughout history is proof of that. But she’s also seen the positive change they’ve brought about with their actions, has seen how they try their best to help people in need, be it with food, a smile or a kind word; how they make the world a better place by righting injustices wherever and whenever they can, no matter the toll it takes on them.</p>
<p>And this mission, Nile knows, is demanding a lot.</p>
<p>When they finally find the children two hours later, locked in a cellar without sunlight and looking more like waifs than people, she begins to understand why missions like this are so hard. She gazes into wide and frightened eyes, robbed of their childhood innocence, and wants to scream and throw up. Not necessarily in that order.</p>
<p>She swallows down the urge to do either of those things and puts on the best smile she can manage in this horrible situation.</p>
<p>It’s not enough to put the children at ease.</p>
<p>Andy accidentally brushes against one of them when she takes a step back to better secure their exit, and the little girl lets out a harrowing shriek of terror that echoes through the underground bunker like a bucket falling down a mine shaft. They all freeze for a second, listening for running footsteps and hoping against hope that they remain undiscovered.</p>
<p>Luck is not on their side.</p>
<p>Voices slowly filter down to them, accompanied by the sound of heavy boots hitting the ground, and Andy lets out a low breath. “Shit.” She locks eyes with Joe and Nicky. “Take the kids. We’ll handle the rest.”</p>
<p>The children, so young and terrified, scream when they are unceremoniously picked up by strong arms. Instinctively, they try their best to hit Joe and Nicky with their tiny balled up fists. It’s a heartbreaking sight. It takes a few hurried yet soft-spoken words of reassurance that everything will be alright for their screams die down to scared little whimpers but Nile knows that doesn’t mean they’re not scared anymore. It just means they’ve surrendered themselves to their fate.</p>
<p>Nile blocks the sounds out as best as she can. She checks her weapons, makes sure she’s ready to defend those she loves and those she swore to protect, and then she takes point. Her pace is brisk and fast as she leads them through a maze of hallways, ducking into tunnels to avoid running into the people who built this place and pausing every now and then for Andy, who is at their rear making sure they are not being followed, to catch up with them.</p>
<p>It takes them longer than Nile would have liked to make it out, but in the end they finally pass their entry point and step out into misty grey light and cold afternoon air that smells fresh and clean and nothing like the horrible dampness of the bunker. Nile takes a deep breath and allows herself a second before she urges Joe and Nicky to run ahead of them into the woods where their get-away cars are hidden.</p>
<p>She joins forces with Andy, standing shoulder to shoulder to ensure that Joe and Nicky have enough time to get the children away from this place. It barely takes a minute until people clad in dark military gear come crawling out of the bunker like ants. Nile empties first one clip, then another and shields Andy as best as she can from any bullets that find their way across the clearing towards them despite their best efforts to keep their enemies at bay. They are being pushed back, slowly but surely, and the moment Nile realizes that they need to make a run for it if they want to get out of here a shot rings out, different from the others. It’s too close, and a second later Andy crumbles to one knee.</p>
<p>Panic seizes Nile, and in a bout of helpless fury she empties another clip into the advancing formation of ants, buying her enough time to grab Andy by the collar and haul her behind the relative safety of a tree.</p>
<p>“Can you walk?” she asks as she ejects her empty clip and replaces it with another. She’s only got two more left.</p>
<p>Andy looks down at the sticky blood soaking through her trousers. “It’s not like I have much choice, do I?”</p>
<p>She doesn’t wait for Nile’s reply or her help before she pushes herself back onto her feet with a groan. Adrenaline is helping her stand but Nile knows it won’t last forever and neither will their ammo.</p>
<p>She doesn’t need forever, though – just until they reach the car and get the hell away from this place.</p>
<p>With that thought Nile brings up her weapons and tells Andy to run.</p>
<p>It’s a close call. Bullets continue to hit their car even after Nile floors the pedal and hightails it out of there. There’s no sign of Joe and Nicky ahead of them as she drives through the forest and Nile considers that a good thing. It means they got away and were able to follow the plan: rendezvous with Copley at a warehouse to deliver the children to safety and reunite them with their parents. After that, they’re supposed to meet up in a different safe house, several hours away from here to ensure no one will be able to find them but Andy’s wound changes things. They can’t go that far, not today, not with Andy bleeding all over the front seat, so Nile turns the car South instead of North, back to where they came from earlier this day.</p>
<p>Andy, in the process of pulling a strap tight around her leg to slow down the bleeding, shoots her a pissed off look.</p>
<p>“Don’t even think about arguing with me,” Nile says in a voice that breaks no argument. When Andy opens her mouth to argue, Nile almost growls, “And don’t say you’re fine! You’re not. We need to take care of that,” she nods towards the wound.</p>
<p>“Fine,” Andy huffs. She puts pressure on her bleeding leg with one hand and fishes for a burner phone with the other. “Joe? Yeah, it’s me,” she says. “Change of plans. We’ll meet back up in the Ukraine safe house. I … I got shot.”</p>
<p>Nile can hear Nicky cursing in Italian even though the phone is not on speaker.</p>
<p>Andy winces. “See you there.”</p>
<p>She hangs up and Nile glances over at the passenger seat. The way Andy slumps against the backrest worries her, as does the pallor of Andy’s skin and the slow, shallow breaths she is deliberately taking.</p>
<p>“Pressure,” Nile gently reminds her, trying not to let her fears show.</p>
<p>It’s a long drive back to the safe house.</p>
<p>When they finally reach it, the winter sun is slowly beginning to set and Joe and Nicky’s car is nowhere in sight. Nile didn’t expect it to be, not with the detour they had to make to get the children to safety, but she still feels her heart sink when she catches sight of the empty driveway. She’s scared – not that she would admit that to Andy’s face, at least not yet while Andy is still bleeding out in the car, but she can’t deny that the thought of having to deal with Andy’s wound on her own terrifies her. Her knowledge of first aid never went beyond stabilizing the wounded to keep them alive until the corpsman arrived.</p>
<p>She prays for Nicky and Joe to hurry up.</p>
<p>Andy insists on limping into the house on her own and Nile lets her, knowing a lost battle when she sees one. She trails after Andy with their gear and medical supplies in tow and quickly checks the house to make sure they are safe before she joins Andy in the kitchen. The sight that greets her is not pretty. Andy’s green trousers are dark and wet with blood and not even the defiant look on Andy’s face can hide how ashen her skin looks.</p>
<p>Nile takes a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Alright,” she says. “Let’s take a look.”</p>
<p>She grabs a pair of scissors and cuts the green material of Andy’s trousers open from the bottom up until she reaches the place where the bullet went into the leg. It’s hardly the first bullet wound she’s seen in her life but this time it’s <em>Andy</em> who’s hurt and somehow that makes it so much worse. For a moment all Nile can do is stare at the bloody circle marring Andy’s thigh – this broken area of skin that had remained unblemished for thousands of years until today.</p>
<p>Andy’s gentle hand on her shoulder finally gives her the strength to pull her eyes away from the gruesome sight.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Andy says, more softly than Nile is used to. “It’s okay.”</p>
<p>Nile huffs, a little hysterical. “It’s really not.”</p>
<p>But she’s got a job to do so she pulls herself together with a deep breath and begins to clean the blood away from Andy’s leg. One careful wipe after another slowly reveals more and more of the wound until it is displayed in all its horror.</p>
<p>“The bleeding has slowed down,” Nile notes numbly, at first not quite realizing what that means. The moment she does, she lets the bloody wipes in her hands fall to the ground. “Thank god.”</p>
<p>Andy gives her a wry smile. “Told you it would be okay, kid.”</p>
<p>Nile gives her a look. “As long as that bullet is still in your leg, nothing is okay, Andy, alright? <em>Nothing.</em>”</p>
<p>Andy is about to reply when they both hear the sound of a car driving up the road. Instinct takes over, and Nile grabs her gun and moves towards the window, quick and silent as a cat on the prowl. Carefully, she glances through the dusty curtains. She lets out a sigh of relief when she spots a familiar car. “It’s Joe and Nicky.”</p>
<p>She hurries to unlock the door for them and Nicky walks right past her, a look of wild worry on his face. Joe however pauses for a brief moment to place a hand on her arm.</p>
<p>“You okay, kid?”</p>
<p>A little wobbly, Nile smiles at him, beyond grateful for his concern and grounding presence. “Now that you’re here – I will be.”</p>
<p>Joe nods in understanding. “You did good, Nile. Real good.”</p>
<p>Together they walk into the kitchen where Andy’s leg is already propped up on a chair and Nicky is kneeling beside her, all gloved up and with a pair of tweezers in his hand.</p>
<p>“This is going to hurt,” he warns softly.</p>
<p>Andy’s reply is to take a huge gulp out of the bottle of vodka in her hand. “Just get it over with.”</p>
<p>There is no hesitation when Nicky plunges the tweezers into the wound. Andy’s back arches off the chair, her body instinctively wanting to curl around the pain, and it takes both Joe and Nile pinning her down to keep her still so Nicky can do his work. He digs around in the wound for the bullet, and Nile knows she will never forget the noises Andy makes against her chest when Nicky finally finds the wretched thing and pulls it out.</p>
<p>“Quasi lì,” Nicky murmurs as he cleans the fresh blood away. <em>Almost there.</em></p>
<p>“Fuck,” Andy exhales shakily before she takes another gulp out of the bottle. “Let’s never do this again.”</p>
<p>Nicky gives her solemn nod before he reaches for both surgical thread and needle, ready to start suturing the wound. His hands are steady and his movements sure and precise as he pulls the thread through pale, quivering skin – just like Nile had witnessed him do over a hundred times over the past few weeks when he was practicing.</p>
<p>When his gruesome task is finally finished, Nicky ties one final knot in a row of perfectly neat and even stitches. He lets the needle clatter to the ground before he looks up at Andy, face white as a sheet. “There,” he whispers hoarsely. “All done.”</p>
<p>Andy drowns the rest of the bottle and lets her body slump against Joe’s chest. “Thank fuck.”</p>
<p><em>Yes</em>, Nile agrees silently and closes her eyes in relief. <em>Thank fuck</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here we are, the second to last chapter! Thank you very much to everyone who's stayed with this story so far! It's been lovely to read your comments every week and I appreciate your support very much! </p>
<p>A few notes on this chapter:<br/>(1) I included the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant because I firmly believe the team would have done all they could to help in the aftermath of such a disaster. Being immortal, the radiation obviously wouldn't have killed them permanently, so I imagine they tried to help at the hospital in Moscow first and then later on site at Chernobyl, for example clearing away graphite (which came from the reactor's core) from the roofs of the buildings. If any of you are interested in that particular event of history, I can't recommend the miniseries "Chernobyl" as well as the books "Midnight at Chernobyl" and "Voices of Chernobyl" highly enough. </p>
<p>(2) If you want to listen to the song Nicky hums, here's a link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWVEiChHPyM">Non Basta Mai</a>. The song always makes me think of Nicky and Joe for the sole reason that part of the lyrics say, "Sono qui." - Which of course is what Nicky says to Joe in the van scene after he wakes up. </p>
<p>One final note: I most likely won't be able to post the sixth and final chapter next weekend. It's longer than the other chapters and I won't have the time this week to edit it properly. I'll try post it the weekend after that which will be the third of fourth of April. I'm sorry for the delay but I don't want to subject you to the horrors that are my unedited first drafts ;)</p>
<p>I hope to see you then! Have a wonderful weekend and as always, you can find me on <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> if you want to say hi and chat about The Old Guard.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Warning:</b> none-detailed mention of someone being sick.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: Aftermath</strong>
</p>
<p>With the bullet out of Andy’s leg and the wound all stitched up, Nile thinks the worst is over.</p>
<p>She is wrong.</p>
<p>Andy’s face has regained some of its former color, most likely aided by the alcohol dulling her pain, and after they help her into a pair of lose pants and move her to the living room, she even manages to offer them a small, honest if strained smile. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Joe squeezes her hand. “Anytime, boss. Glad you’re okay.”</p>
<p>They settle down on the couch beside her, Nile on her right and Joe on her left. Neither of them takes much note when Nicky quietly announces that he’s going to clean up the kitchen and prepare dinner. He spends so many evenings cooking for them that it doesn’t raise any red flags. It’s normal. It’s what Nicky does, taking care of them, and they are used to it.</p>
<p><em>Maybe too used to it</em>, Nile will think later when this awful day takes another horrible turn and she thinks back to this moment and remembers the red stains on the cuff of Nicky’s shirt and the pale, drawn expression on his face.</p>
<p>Right now, though, she simply lets him go, her mind too preoccupied with Andy and the close call they all just had to urge Nicky to take a much-needed break and a moment to breathe. He leaves and Nile presses her body against Andy’s side, willing more warmth to seep into Andy’s chilled skin. On Andy’s other side, Joe is talking quietly, filling them both in on what happened after they got separated.</p>
<p>“Copley made true on his promise,” he tells them. “The plane was already running when we arrived, ready for take-off. We didn’t encounter any trouble.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Andy says. She readjusts her position slightly to get more comfortable. “Those kids deserve a better life.”</p>
<p>Joe nods, leaning more heavily against her. “They have a chance now.” He closes his eyes, suddenly looking exhausted beyond words. “This was a tough one,” he admits.</p>
<p>Andy nods. “It was.”</p>
<p>Nile can hear the centuries they’ve lived in the heaviness of their words. It’s the kind of world-weariness she can only imagine right now. She doesn’t carry its weight, not yet, but she can feel its crushing presence nonetheless. It what makes her reach out to both of them and offer what meagre reassurances she can. “It’s over now.”</p>
<p>“It is,” Joe agrees, allowing his hand to rest gently on top of Andy’s thigh, just shy of the wound. “Tomorrow we will go to a safe place where we can heal.”</p>
<p>Andy locks eyes with him. “Bergen?”</p>
<p>“Bergen,” Joe agrees.</p>
<p>“Mhm,” Andy makes – a pleased sound. The smile that accompanies it softens the lines of pain on her face. “It’s been decades since we were there.”</p>
<p>Nile’s never been to Bergen, or to Norway in general, but she has seen pictures of it before, of the colorful houses and the awe-inspiring fjords. Even though she’s tired she feels excitement bubbling up within her.  </p>
<p>“What’s the city like?” she asks.</p>
<p>Joe and Andy tell her gladly. Their faces light up with memories of better days as they talk about all the times they have been there in the past. In the background, Nicky rattles on the kitchen, and the sound is so soothing and familiar that Nile allows her eyes to fall close and just <em>listen</em>, soaking in this precious moment that was almost taken from her today.</p>
<p>She barely notices when, after a while, Andy grows quiet and Joe begins to fill the silence with his own words instead. His voice picks up right where Andy’s left off, and he uses the most flowery language possible to describe the beauty of Norway. His enthusiasm and passion for the world in general and this place in particular are so palpable that Nile can’t help but smile.</p>
<p>“It stops being cute after a while,” Andy mutters just low enough for Nile to hear, and Nile’s smile stretches until she’s grinning from ear to ear. She can’t imagine ever tiring of hearing Joe talk about the wonders of the world and, judging from the fond amusement Andy can’t quite hide, neither can she despite what she claims.</p>
<p>Joe’s tales of fjords and trolls and mountains are so vivid that for a moment Nile forgets that they’re still in the Ukraine and not actually in Norway yet. Gentle waters replace the memories of blood that haunt her, rolling over her like the tide. Instead of rundown cars, she sees white sails billowing in the wind in her mind, and the terrified looks she saw on the children’s faces earlier change into wide happy smiles, accompanied by joyful laughter, high and clear. These not-quite-memories are almost enough to get lost in, and she wants nothing more than to close her eyes and let Joe’s tales lull her to sleep.</p>
<p>But something is not quite right. Nile can’t put her finger on it but the uneasy feeling thrumming through her veins is enough for her to blink the images Joe crafted with his words away and sit up straighter. Joe stops talking mid-sentence to look at her.</p>
<p>“Nile?”</p>
<p>Nile shakes her head. “I don’t know. Something feels wrong.”</p>
<p>Both Andy and Joe tense, readying themselves for a fight as they look around, searching for the source of danger but the small house around them is quiet.</p>
<p>That’s when it hits Nile.</p>
<p>The house is <em>too</em> quiet, and it takes her a second to realize why. Where before floorboards creaked softly beneath soft-clad feet, pots clinked quietly as they were put on the stove and the wooden spoon Nicky is so fond of made scraping sounds against the pan, there is only silence now. The kitchen is completely quiet, and it’s this sudden absence of noise and the utter wrongness that comes with it that makes the hairs on her arms stand up as all her inner alarm bells start ringing.</p>
<p>A million horrible scenarios flash through Nile’s mind. Her wide eyes meet Andy’s and by the look on Andy’s face she’s noticed the silence as well but it is Joe who acts first. He springs up from the couch and moves towards the kitchen with an urgency Nile only remembers from missions.</p>
<p>“Nicolò?” he asks, the worry painfully clear in his voice.  </p>
<p>There is no verbal reply but a sound reaches them – an awful, stifled sound that reminds Nile of that awful day when she and Joe found Nicky in the kitchen, needle hovering above his own leg. It’s a sound she never wanted to hear again and it’s coming from the bathroom down the hallway. Joe hones in on it in an instant. He rushes out of the room, and Nile is right behind him. Later, when she has time to think about it all, she will feel guilty for forgetting about Andy for a moment there, but this is Nicky they are talking about and he is hurting and Nile never wanted to know what he sounds like when he is truly in pain – when he tries to <em>hide</em> that he’s in pain. </p>
<p>Joe reaches the bathroom first. The door is not locked – they never lock themselves in, for safety reasons – and Joe doesn’t hesitate to push it open. Nile can see the exact moment he catches sight of Nicky because Joe freezes mid-motion, his whole body jerking to a stop, and the look of pure heartbreak on his face is enough to make Nile’s steps falter.</p>
<p>“Oh Nicolò,” Joe whispers.</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Nile hears Nicky mumble, almost desperately, as if he <em>needs</em> Joe to believe him.</p>
<p>He doesn’t sound fine. He sounds like he just threw up what little he ate for breakfast hours ago and is trying to hold himself together by sheer force of will. Slowly, Nile inches closer, her chest tight with worry, until she can finally peer around the door and into the bathroom. Nicky is leaning over the toilet, his face ashen and his whole body trembling. He looks broken in a way Nile has never seen him before – not even at Merrick’s lab when he was strapped down to that horrible gurney, the evidence of human experimentation still visible on his bare skin – and she feels a lump form in her throat when she realizes that this day, this mission, has been so painful it brought him quite literally to his knees.</p>
<p>Nicky is clearly not fine, and Nile wonders if he ever truly was since Merrick’s lab and the revelation of Andy’s mortality.</p>
<p>In front of her, Joe carefully lowers himself to the ground so he is on eye level with Nicky. He doesn’t reach out to him, not yet, not when Nicky is gripping the toilet so hard his knuckles have turned white. Instead, Joe shakes his head, very gently.</p>
<p>“Nicolò,” he says, his voice unbearably soft. “You are many things, my love, but we both know fine is not one of them. Not right now.”</p>
<p>Nicky bites his lip and Nile wants to hug him and hide him away from the world until that awful look of shellshock vanishes from his face.</p>
<p>“I <em>will</em> be fine,” he insists, still with that note of desperation that pleads for Joe to believe him.</p>
<p>Joe does.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he agrees softly. “You will be. But right now, you are not and you don’t have to be, alright? You don’t have to pretend for us.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Nicky whispers, letting his head hang.</p>
<p>Joe’s face softens. Nile can see how much he’s itching to reach out. “Then why are you hiding from your family?” he asks quietly.</p>
<p>“Because of me,” Andy suddenly says from behind them. “He didn’t want me to know.”</p>
<p>Nile whirls around. Andy gives her a small smile that holds no joy before she walks past her so Nicky can see her. She looks more subdued than Nile has ever seen her, sad and world-weary and so damn tired as if her heart is overflowing with more sorrow than she can contain.</p>
<p>Impossibly, Nicky’s fingers tighten around the toilet. He turns his face away in shame, trying to hide the dampness on his cheeks. It breaks Nile’s heart. She wonders how Joe and Andy – who have known and loved him for so much longer than she has – can stand to see him like this.</p>
<p>Andy places one of her hands on Joe’s shoulder. The touch is gentle and not at all demanding but after moment’s hesitation Joe gives Andy a tight nod and pushes himself back to his feet so he can make room for her. Nile can see that it pains him, that he aches to wrap his arms around Nicky and shield him from the trauma of this day, but right now he is not the one who can make it better and it’s because he knows that that Joe lets Nicky go. It’s such a kind, profound gesture that Nile feels her eyes tear up. She wonders if she’ll ever find someone who will love her like this – not necessarily for eternity but for a lifetime at least.</p>
<p>She can’t imagine a greater gift.</p>
<p>Andy settles down on the cold bathroom floor, her back leaning against the wall. She stretches her wounded leg out in front of her and with a tired but gentle smile, she looks at Nicky and pats the empty space next to her. “Join me?”</p>
<p>For a moment, Nicky hesitates and Niles feels herself holding her breath. When he finally unclenches his hands from the toilet, it is with obvious reluctance. He keeps his head down as he pushes himself backwards until he is resting against the wall next to Andy.</p>
<p>“Hey there,” Andy whispers softly, a small smile on her lips.</p>
<p>She reaches for Nicky’s hand, trembling and pale, and while Nicky still refuses to look at her he returns the gesture with a white-knuckled grip. Unconsciously, Nile feels herself drifting closer to Joe, both offering comfort and asking for reassurance in return. Joe gladly gives it by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and drawing her against his side. It makes standing helplessly by a little more bearable.</p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Andy finally says when Nicky remains quiet and the silence stretches too long. Her eyes travel over Nicky’s face. “<em>I’m</em> okay. Because of you.”</p>
<p>Nicky lets out an aborted sob that tears at Nile’s heart.</p>
<p>“Don’t,” he presses out against gritted teeth. “I … I almost couldn’t do it.”</p>
<p>“But you did,” Andy tells him, her voice patient and so very gentle. “You did good, Nicky.”</p>
<p>Nicky shakes his head. His eyes are wide and glassy, staring at nothing but the past. “I hurt you, Andy,” he whispers. “I caused you pain.”</p>
<p>Nile knows that look on his face, has seen it both in old photographs and up close and personal on faces she holds dear. No matter how often she is confronted with it, the thousand yard stare never becomes less frightening. For the first time since she became immortal she thinks of all the wars Nicky has lived through, of all the kingdoms he and the others have seen rise and fall in bloody battle, and the sheer number of them takes her breath away. How can anyone live with that much trauma? How can anyone forgive themselves for the part they played in it?</p>
<p>Looking at Nicky now, shaken so badly by what he had to do to save Andy’s life, Nile doesn’t think any of them will ever forget this day in the centuries to come. She knows the sight of Nicky’s blood-stained fingers digging into Andy’s flesh in their search for the bullet is seared into her memories forever, along with the quiet sounds Andy made as she gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming in agony. What happened this day will give her nightmares for weeks, probably even years to come, and she can only imagine how much worse it must be for Nicky who had Andy’s blood on his hands and felt her pulse thrum against his fingers, warm and so very fragile.</p>
<p>“I know, Nicky. I know,” Andy says, drawing Nile out of her thoughts. Her words are soft, meant to be soothing but an age-old sadness passes over her face and in the end, she lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry I put you through this.”</p>
<p>She wraps her other hand around Nicky’s as well, trying to keep the shaking at bay with her slender fingers. It’s not enough. Nicky’s body still shivers with faint tremors every few seconds as if he’s cold, trembling with both shock and the effort of keeping himself together, and when he speaks, his voice sounds brittle and defeated.</p>
<p>“One day, stitches won’t be good enough,” he whispers. His voice sounds far away, as if he’s looking into the future and seeing something only he can see. “No amount of <em>practice</em> will be good enough.” He bows his head until it rests against his and Andy’s folded hands, making it look like he is praying.</p>
<p>What he’s not saying is, <em>One day, I will not be good enough</em>, and Nile hears the words loud and clear.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Andy acknowledges quietly. They all know she’s not likely to grow old and die in her sleep but hearing her confirm it so bluntly doesn’t make it any better or easier to accept. “But today is not that day, Nicolò.”</p>
<p>“It could have been,” Nicky argues but there is no heat in his words. He takes a shuddering breath. “I was scared it would be,” he confesses against their clasped hands.</p>
<p>“Me, too,” Andy admits to Nile’s surprise. She leans her head against Nicky’s temple and closes her eyes. “This one was too close. But I’m still here, Nicky. I’m still here and if I have any say in it, I won’t leave you behind any time soon.”</p>
<p>“It’s always going to be too soon,” Nicky chokes out. He finally looks up at her, and even though he is clearly trying not to cry tears are welling up in his eyes. “I can’t lose you, Andromache. I just can’t.”</p>
<p>Andy doesn’t hesitate to disentangle her hands from his and pull him close. Nicky buries his face in her shoulder, effectively muffling his sobs as he falls apart in her arms. Nile would have never taken Andy for the motherly type but the way she rubs Nicky’s back and whispers soothing words so ancient Nile is sure the language isn’t spoken anymore today speaks of so much empathy, compassion and unconditional love that a lump forms in her throat.</p>
<p>“You can,” Andy says then, her words soft but firm, and when Nicky makes a noise of protest she gently shushes him. “You <em>can</em>, Nicky,” she stresses. “You’ve always been the strongest of us all.”</p>
<p>Nicky huffs miserably. “That’s not true.”</p>
<p>“It is,” Andy says. “You’re the one who kept us together all these years. You’re the one who keeps us going when we lose faith, who tells us why we need to keep fighting. You give us <em>hope</em>, Nicky. You always have.”</p>
<p>“Hope,” he mutters, a world-weary word that carries the weight of almost a millennium on its four letters. “I do not know where to find it anymore.”</p>
<p>Andy pulls back a little so she can look at him. When Nicky meets her eyes, she gives him an understanding smile and turns her head towards Joe and Nile. “There,” she says and Nile is shocked to see tears brimming in Andy’s eyes. “That’s where you find it. In Joe’s eyes, in Nile’s smile. In the time you will have together.” She looks at Nicky again. “There is always hope, Nicky. You taught me that.”</p>
<p>“You taught all of us, Nicolò,” Joe adds softy.</p>
<p>Nile feels a tug on her arm and allows Joe to pull her into the bathroom. The space is small and cramped but somehow Joe manages to squeeze himself into the corner next to Nicky and Nile settles down cross-legged in front of Nicky and Andy, her head brushing against the underside of the sink and her knees touching both of their legs. It’s uncomfortable and less than ideal but Nile doesn’t care, not when she sees Nicky’s lips twitch with the beginnings of a watery but grateful smile when Joe leans his head against his back and places his hands on Nicky’s side, warm and reassuring. Nicky intertwines one of hands with Joe’s and lets out a long, shuddering sigh.</p>
<p>Nile finds herself reaching for Nicky’s other hand. She cradles it between her own, gently rubbing some warmth back into the cold, trembling fingers.</p>
<p><em>These are the hands of a healer</em>, she thinks, carefully tracing the veins with her fingertips. She knows Nicky has fought and killed and harmed, just like they all have but – <em>these hands have cared and healed and cradled as well. They have helped people back onto their feet, have rubbed backs in reassurance, have offered comfort with a kind touch. </em></p>
<p>Even in the short amount of time Nile has known him, she has seen Nicky do all that and so much more. He doesn’t make a big deal out of it, probably never has in all the centuries he’s lived, and it’s likely because of that that his acts of kindness and love sometimes go unnoticed.</p>
<p><em>Just like his demons</em>, Nile realizes. She silently swears to herself that she will do better in the future. Instead of taking Nicky’s calm and reassurance for granted, she will give some of it back – and there’s no time like the presence to start.</p>
<p>“Andy’s right,” she says, tightening her hold on Nicky’s hand. “You are always there for us. You cared about me before you even knew me and that … that means more to me than I can ever say. I will never forget that, Nicky. Never. You’re the best adopted brother anyone could wish for.”</p>
<p>Nicky sniffs but his eyes are brimming with love and he’s smiling when he says, “Thank you, Nile.”</p>
<p>“You hear that, Nicky?” Joe murmurs against Nicky’s back. He pauses and gives Nile a wink. “She loves you more than me.”</p>
<p>Nicky snorts softly and allows his head to fall forward so that it rests against Andy’s shoulder again. “No, she does not.”</p>
<p>Nile makes a humming sound. “Mhm, I’m not so sure. Your jokes are way better than Joe’s and your hugs are too.”</p>
<p>“Hey!” Joe protests. “My hugs are <em>great</em>!”</p>
<p>As if to prove his point, he tightens his hold on Nicky and buries his face more firmly into the space between Nicky’s shoulder. Even though Nicky’s eyes are closed, Nile can see his lips pulling up into a smile.</p>
<p>“They are, <em>hayati</em>,” he says softly. “The very best.”</p>
<p>Very gently, Andy cards a hand through Nicky’s soft hair. “Then what are you doing in my arms and not his, hm?” she asks.</p>
<p>Nicky stills for a moment, and when he pulls back the smile is gone from his face and his eyes are clouded with sorrow again. “Because I don’t know how much longer I will have the chance to hold you like this.”</p>
<p>“That’s just life, Nicky,” Andy tells him. “Immortal or not, no one knows when their time comes. It’s easy to forget when it only takes seconds for wounds to heal but it’s still the truth. None of us will live forever.”</p>
<p>“Sì,” Nicky says, letting his head hang. “I know.”</p>
<p>Andy looks at him for a long moment before she heaves a heavy sigh. She lets go of his hand so she can open up her arms to him once more. “Come here.”</p>
<p>Nicky clings to her, and even though his hold on Andy’s shirt is desperate Nile can tell that he is careful not to hurt her. His shoulders don’t shake, not this time, but Andy still makes a soft shushing sound before she presses her lips into Nicky’s hair.</p>
<p>“I love you,” she says quietly. Her eyes meet first Joe’s then Nile’s over Nicky’s shoulder. “All of you. That will never change, no matter what happens. Having you in my life, however long or short, has been a blessing.”</p>
<p>“We love you too, Andromache,” Joe says before he presses himself close to Nicky again. Looking at Nile, he holds out his arm in invitation.</p>
<p>Nile lets him pull her into the hug.</p>
<p>It’s cold and cramped on the bathroom floor and the angle is uncomfortable but feeling Joe’s arms around her, hearing Nicky’s soft breaths in her ears and seeing the proud smile on Andy’s face make her feel more content than she has been in a long time. Warmth spreads through her, rushing, tingling, and it suddenly hits Nile that for the first time since she became immortal, maybe even for the first time since she left home to follow in her father’s footsteps, she feels like she has found her place in the world – like she <em>belongs</em>. And it’s all because of Andy’s quiet strength, Joe’s awful jokes and Nicky’s endless kindness.</p>
<p>“I know I never told you before but you guys – you really have become my family,” she breathes against Nicky’s shoulder, surprising not only the others but herself as well. “I am so glad to have you in my life.”</p>
<p>She feels like crying when Nicky pulls back from Andy’s embrace to draw her against his chest.</p>
<p>“And we are glad to have you,” he murmurs against her hair. “So very glad, Nile.”</p>
<p>She doesn’t see the soft look Joe and Andy exchange over their heads, or the way they smile down at them, full of love. It is only later, after Nicky and Joe have gone to bed, when Andy pulls her against her side on the sofa and tells her, “You did good today, kid,” that Nile realizes how proud Andy is of her and how badly she needed to hear those words.</p>
<p>She looks up at Andy and grins. “I’m not a kid.”</p>
<p>Andy raises one of her eyebrows at her. “You want me to refer to you as <em>baby immortal</em> like Joe does?” Nile scrunches up her nose and Andy laughs. “Thought so.”</p>
<p>The sound is clear and bright, and god, Nile thinks with a pang, she is going to miss Andy.</p>
<p>She pushes that thought away. Today is not about death. It’s about life and laughter, about family and friends and cherishing the time you have with someone instead of mourning a future that has not yet come to pass.</p>
<p>Nile presses herself a little closer to Andy. “Want to watch silly cat videos?”</p>
<p>Andy smiles. “I thought you’d never ask.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So this is it, the final chapter. Thank you all for coming on this journey with me! I appreciate all your hits, kudos and comments very much and I hope you enjoyed the ending as much as the rest of the story! </p>
<p>Happy Easter holidays, folks, and in case you don't celebrate: have a lovely weekend! As always, you can find me <a href="https://ailendolin.tumblr.com/">here</a> if you want to say hi and chat about The Old Guard.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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